I’m creating a useful and evergreen list of gift ideas for everyone on your list so you can reference this for birthdays or other occasions. At the end, you can peek at my personal wish list. So, if you know someone who is like me maybe something off that list is perfect for them too! The items listed here are ones we have given or received in the past and loved -or- things under our tree for Christmas this year.
• Children items are listed by age group.
• Adult items are listed by phase of life or hobby.
• The first category is basically gift ideas for any and all adults.
• If the exact item wasn’t online, I chose the closest equivalent.
Please note, the Amazon.co.uk links earn me a tiny affiliate amount if you make a purchase paid to me by Amazon, not your purchase. I do not use any other affiliate program and make about £10/year from this program. You know why I don’t make more? Because I’m telling you right now to use this list and shop locally, preferably in non-chain stores in your area. You will make a difference to your local economy.
Anyone & Everyone Over 17
For anyone who just bought a home or move out of their parents’ house, give them a gift bag with the first six items listed below (marked with *). It will seriously be the items they use most!
WD40*
Sugru Multi-Colour (Pack of 8)
Set of lasting cotton kitchen/tea towels*
Sweater Comb and Electric Fabric Shaver
Projector (we’ve had three in 13 years and this is our favourite)
The Complete Far Side Collection
VAX Carpet Cleaner (if you have kids or pets, get this)
Flipper Animal World Toothbrush Holder
Battery-powered camping lights (perfect to hang in that pesky closet without a built-in light)
Tower Extension Lead, Te-Rich 12 Gang Surge Protector Multi Plug Power Strip
Intangibles
Gift certificate to a local restaurant or cafe
Babysitting offer
Anything handmade
Gift certificate for a fun class or experience, like wood working or wine tasting
Family Games
TOMY Screwball Scramble Classic Retro Children’s Game
Gifts for Kids When You Want to Punish the Parents
Parum Pum Pum – Toy Drum Kit with 7 Musical Instruments for Kids
Funtime PL2870 Jokes in a Tin Playset
New Parents
Brain Rules for Baby (the best book we read as expectant parents)
Babysitting offer
Universal Buggy Rain Cover (it’s really nice)
Ages 0–3
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
The World of Peter Rabbit (The Original Peter Rabbit books 1-23) by Beatrix Potter
Elmer by David McKee
Green Toys tea set – ours is still going strong after seven years
Shape sorter ball – ours is Tupperware brand
Interactive Cube – this replaced the one we had
Ages 3–11 (or as a family gift for kids in this range)
LEGO Large Creative Brick Set with storage box
MagFormers Magnetic Building Set
Ages 3–6
Harry and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs BOOK
Rangebow Aqua Magic Water Doodle Drawing Travel Bag Mat and Magic Pens
Schwinn Trike (ages 36 months and older, though our sons started using their one at 24 months)
Wood train set (great as a gift to more than one child in this age range)
Wooden Gears and Cogs Board Set
Melissa & Doug Imaginative Play Baking Set
Creative Options Thread Organizer
Iggy Peck, Architect (the entire series is GREAT)
Help! My Dinosaurs are Lost in the City!
Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne (6th birthday perfection)
Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel
Alexander & the No Good Very Bad Day
Playmobil 6081 Summer Fun Summer Jet
Playmobil 6798 Wildlife Safari Truck with Lions
Ages 7–10
Dinosaurs Top Trumps Card Game
Awesome Animals Top Trumps Card Game
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Transformers Robot Rescue Bot Headquarters
Ages 11–13
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
The Secret of the Mansion (Trixie Belden #1) by Julie Campbell
The Clue in the Diary (Nancy Drew, Book 7) by Carolyn Keene
Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards
Ages 8+ STEM Books & Tools
Any dinosaur or evolutionary biology book by Dr. Ben Garrod (we have six or seven of them)
The Great Irish Science Book by Luke O’Neill
101 Great Science Experiments by Neil Ardley
Lift the Flap Periodic Table (children’s book)
See Inside Inventions (children’s book)
Mistakes that Worked (children’s book)
Ages 8+ Dog Man, Minecraft & Video Games
Dog Man books by Dav Pilkey
Dog Man: Guide to Creating Comics in 3-D
How To Draw Minecraft For Kids
Microsoft Wireless Controller for Xbox One
Ages 17+ Books
The Complete Far Side Collection (BEST EVER)
Moleskin recipe journal (there are also ones for weddings and travel)
Rising Strong by Brené Brown
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone by Brené Brown
Arts, Crafts & Photography
STAEDTLER Noris Club Colouring Pencils
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards
Photography Reflectors (I have this one and this one)
Lacis Metal Jumbo Yarn Ball Winder
Accessories & Clothing
Fingerless gloves (they work with smart phone use and show off manicures)
Cashmere sweaters (I still wear them)
Aran-style sweater (long enough to wear over leggings)
Classic Men’s button-down white shirt
Pendleton National Park Stripe Socks (I love my pair of Great Smokey Mountains and would love to get Rainier, Crater Lake, Badlands, or Glacier)
Baking & Cooking
Cast Iron Core Dutch Oven (stovetop to oven to table – we don’t have one, I’ve wanted it for YEARS)
Kitchen Craft Sweetly Does It Cake Cutting Wire
Faringdon 25 X 34cm Stackable Cooling Racks – Set of 3
AmazonBasics Silicone Baking Mat – 2 Pack
Nordic Ware Honeycomb Pull-Apart Dessert Pan
Cookbooks
Sweet Paul Eat and Make: Charming Recipes and Kitchen Crafts You Will Love
Chapter One
Master it: How to cook today by Rory O’Connell
Apron Strings: Recipes from a Family Kitchen by Nessa Robbins
Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking
My Personal Wish List
Nice but not expensive pens & pencils
This floor lamp with this shade
Handwriting bracelet (to have made with my dad’s handwriting)
This straw-seat bench which coordinates to the dining chairs my parents had when I was little.
LED taper candles (two sets to use in my grandma’s candlesticks)
Stand Mixer (any will do really)
Accessories Compatible with Ninja Foodi
Smocked Maxi Dress (it won’t be winter forever)
Flounce-trimmed dress (which is my color! I would alter it to be a top with flutter cap sleeves)
Puff-sleeved cotton blouse (my color again)
Black/white spotted dress (again, it would be altered to be knee-length then the extra fabric would become wide bow-like straps)
Embroidered cotton dress in L (I can alter it if needed)
What about you? What was the best gift you’ve given or received?